there are a number of realtors we talked to that say you have taken advantage of them over the years. >> never. >> cunning or clever.

>> is it ethical? >> i'm not going to decide right now. >> the ethics of free niners tickets. a question that's dividing two cities sharing one football team. those stories tonight as we investigate. good evening. tonight tough questions, important issues and investigations that have already made a difference right here in the bay area. we begin with our investigation into government spending. luncheons, home internet and membership fee, they all have one thing in common. elected leaders using your money to pay for them. board members of the santa clara water district don't receive a salary but they can charge a fee for events they attend that are related. we see just what they are paying

for. >> reporter: when celebrities make public appearances, they get paid, and so do these folks. 286 bucks each time plus mileage. for ground breaking ceremony, barbecues and meeting with each other. >> i attend a lot of meetings. >> i have this one and this one. >> reporter: no one is denying they they stay busy. they're public officials who aren't salaried but they can charge for up to ten district relat related events a month. these two brought home the maximum amount three years in a row. >> were water issues discussed at all of those? >> they were not discussed. >> reporter: take a look at the types of meetings they want you to pay for. >> you went to this celebration and didn't talk about water issues. do you feel like you should be charging taxpayers for that? >> reporter: we'll let him answer that question in a

minute. first. >> they get good representation. >> reporter: the district spent more than $50,000 last year on his meeting fee, benefit and travel. >> do you feel that you should have charged $300 to meet with them? >> it wasn't $300. >> $298.27. >> reporter: he stayed 30 minutes. it cost taxpayers nearly 300 bucks. thing is the district doesn't include san jose. >> he's not part of your district. >> no. >> reporter: he requested the meeting the discuss san jose's retirement issues. you see both are on the police and fire retirement board. >> you know what reason you meet with him? >> retirement. also what will they can do for him. >> you did discuss water issues at that meet something.

>> i did offer what can i do. >> reporter: director clark collected more than 57 grand last year. he charged taxpayers to attend the chamber of commerce awards, the san jose engineering state banquet award and that luncheon we asked him about earlier when he said no water issues were discussed. >> do you feel like you should be charging taxpayers for that? >> people ask me questions about water. i'm aware that people ask me. >> do you charge if it's matter of someone may ask a question? >> it's a judgment call. >> you are not necessarily paid to show up. you're paid to do your job. the presumption that when you go

out in the public someone will a, recognize that you're a water board member and b, have a pressing issue they want to discuss at a social event, i think it's unlikely. >> reporter: it's not just events they charge for. he racked up more than $1400 in membership fees for rotary clubs and professional societies. taxpayers are still picking up the tab for director santos to have internet access at home. when he moved they paid for it to be installed at the new house. >> they should pay for the installation? >> they have. the board members should have the right tools to do their job. >> reporter: he says it's important for directors to make a connection to the community by attendi attending events because they are the ones who set policy. he says everything the district

does is transparent. >> i assume they are discussing district business and issues related to water. >> if they didn't you would never know? >> i would not know. >> reporter: directors can charge their $286 meeting fee to sit down with mr. goldy. those meetings cost $16,000 last year. >> i think the board members work pretty hard. >> reporter: for that hard work santos says he deserves a raise. >> do you feel like $286 is a lot of money to attend a meeting? >> for the meetings i go to, absolutely not. i think we're underpaid. >> last year 50,474 with benefits. you feel you're underpaid? >> i feel i got what i deserve pd . >> we called nine other water districts in california. the most any member got paid to attend a meeting was $237 a meeting and the one most made in

a year was $27,000. all well below the board members of the santa clara water district. coming up after the break. >> it's just wrong. >> we ask for the cancer rates near the toxic site. the unexpected results. that's next.

welcome back. our next investigation is an eye opening discovery in the heart of silicone valley. california cancer registry says they have found higher than normal rates. the investigative unit reported on the site earlier this year prompting the study and tonight the results. >> here's the report. >> oh, my goodness. >> reporter: we delivered the news that many residents living in the neighborhood long suspected. >> my first reaction was i was

just really extremely sad thinking about the neighborhood people. >> reporter: after exhaustive research and analysis of three decades worth of health data, the cancer data found a higher than number of people living here with hodgkin s lymphoma. >> it's like why did we wait to long to find out and why did they take so long to deliver the message. >> reporter: they counted the cases of cancers surrounding what's known as the mew or middle field superfund site and then compare the cancer rates to similar populations in other areas. the site dates back to 1988 when

the epa discovered tons of a toxic cleaning solvent that had opinion leaked or dumped into the ground by the military and the then young semiconductor industry. >> it's a concern. cancer is a concern to all of s us. we focused on cancers where there's been report of association between pce and cancer. the registry did find a s statistically elevation. there were 31 cases, nearly twice the number that would have been expected. >> i can fully understand why

residents in the region might be concerned. that's why we're careful analysis as we can. >> did it surprise you? >> a little bit. >> reporter: lenny has lived here for decades. he's become a community activist and resident exert on the toxic tce plume. >> somebody should be looking at it and reviewing the data saying did we miss something. the spike is significant. we just don't know enough to be able to blame it on the tce. it needs to be cleaned up. >> reporter: the registry did find good news. the rate of nonhodgkins lymphoma has been trending at normal level since 2006. it has the attention of health officials around the state. >> the cancer registry will continue to monitor the area as cases come in. >> it didn't take the polluters.

it took investigating reporting to do it. now we want to find out more. >> reporter: jane horton wishes she had this information sooner so she could have made informed decisions about her health and living here. >> at least people should be alerted they have a higher risk. maybe something could be found sooner than later. it's just wrong. it does make me mad. >> we will continue to follow the results of california's cancer registry's ongoing review of cancer rights in the mountain view community. the santa clara health department has put the area on its watch list, and the epa continues its cleanup effort. that could take decades to complete. coming up next after the break. >> she's been doing this for years. >> she doesn't look savvy like

but some say this property owner has a reputation of taking advantage of san francisco realtors. good morning! wow.

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they say she's talked her way into fancy meals and designer purses taking advantage of the san francisco community for decades. who is she and how could anyone pull this off? some call her a con artist and why they say no one can stop her. >> coldhearted. >> she's a scam artist. >> i want her to pay for what she did to all of us. >> reporter: this is the story of a little lady who is being

accused of scamming dozens of people. >> how long has this been going on? >> 20 years or more. >> wining and dining. >> a couple lunches. >> designer shoes. >> maybe $180 in two days. >> reporter: this woman say she was pressured into buying a $1300 purse. >> i'll pay you back later. >> did she pay you back? >> reporter: they were targeted from their own ad. they say their nightmare started when sue called. >> over 14 years i've never had an experience like this before. >> reporter: they say she tells them she's an investor who wants their help to sell these buildings worth close to $3 million. she brings paper work listing her name as the owner and statements showing $4 million in the bank. >> that's somehow slick she is. >> reporter: and elusive until these agents compared notes and

found out she wasn't alone. she forgot her wallet and home and asked them to foot the bill for medicine, groceries even shoes and purses. thomas called to ask us the follow him. he promised to sign a contract to work with him but once they got in the car she wanted to stop at the dentist. next we followed them to a brunch in china town and after that grocery shopping across town. all on his dime. he said she told him she would sign the contract the next day. it's a day that never seems to come say these realtors. >> there are a number of realtors we have talked to who say you have taken advantage of them over the years. >> never. >> have you ever bought and sold a home using a realtor. >> don't come in my building.

>> reporter: what about police? can they do something to stop her? turns out no. they say all of these complaints amount to a civil issue, not a criminal one. >> nothing's been done ever. >> reporter: they suggest taking her to court and sue is no stranger to small claims court. we found seven judgments against her. most from former tenants who say she refused to return their rent and deposit. a judge ordered her to pay back nearly $5,000 to man who never even moved in. for the realtor it's not just the dollar about, it's also the time and trust they've lost. >> it erodes your trust in other people. she's been doing this for years. >> reporter: something they hope to change now. >> never. i want this to stop. >> reporter: by putting a spotlight on sue. >> i feel we're coming together to put an end to this thing. >> they say you're a con artist. are you a con artist?

>> no. >> we wanted to ask her more questions about the lawsuits but she declined our interview request. anyone who thinks they they have been defrauded by sue can contact sfpd to file a report. we have posted that information on our we said at nbcbayarea.com. just click on the investigations tab and look for this story. coming up, an ethical debate between two bay area cities over 49ers tickets. >> that's a shame. they should be ashaimed of themselves. >> should elected leaders get free tickets? we asked the question to the bay area.

if you've ever been to candle stick on a fall sunday morning you know it's not a cheap experience to watch a game. for some lawmakers it doesn't cost a single dime. the investigative unit raised questions about the ethics of freebies. they are singing a different tune about free tickets. days before the season opener we asked san francisco supervisors about the ethics of free tickets. >> let's go. let's go. >> reporter: two bay area cities separated by 45 miles of roadway and one major difference. >> the acceptance of tickets

presents thorny ethical issues. >> we've done this in san francisco for years. >> reporter: they accepted free 49ers tickets last season. >> at times you give your tickets away to friends? >> the championship game the other day i gave to my mother-in-law. >> reporter: seven months later, will you accept free tickets this season? >> i have not decided yet what i will do. >> sir, it's a policy decision. you've had months to think about this. >> i'm not going to decide right now. >> reporter: in the south bay with a new stadium less than two years away, santa clara city attorney has a different view on the ethics of free tickets. >> we're not to accept any type of tickets from the team.

>> reporter: the ethical difference shows up in writing. san francisco's contract with the 49ers written three decades ago provides more than 75 free tickets for city leaders for every football game. santa clara's contract intentionally excludes any language providing free tickets for city leaders. >> we don't want any perception that any official is reaping any inappropriate benefit from the team. >> why? >> we thought that sort of thing would be contrary to the city's ethical policy and we didn't want to create any appearance of inpropriety. >> they held their officials to the highest of conduct. >> reporter: peter keen has publicly criticized san

francisco for its free ticket policy for the city's most powerful. >> they shouldn't be doing it. >> some just don't want to talk about it. >> reporter: following our february investigation some supervisors have reconsidered. >> is it ethical to accept the tickets for free? >> i've made a decision moving forward i'm not planning to because i understand the issues that have been raised. >> are you planning on accepting tickets to the 49ers game this season? >> no. i'm not. >> that's change in policy. last year you accepted free tickets. >> i decided not to do that this year. >> reporter: five of the cities 11 supervisors changed their personal policies electing not to accept free tickets for personal use for the 2012 football season. >> do you believe it's unethical? >> i think there are different reasons why people do things. for me it was the right thing to do and people have to decide for themselves. >> reporter: four supervisors

used free tickets for personal use last year and have all left the door open to again accept free tickets this season. >> you told me in the interview last year that you thought maybe you should rethink this policy. >> i could see how people could be question it. you're here. you're doing your job of reporting on really important news items like this. >> that's a shame. they should be ashamed of themselves for doing it. >> reporter: one really good football team shared by two cities with two different ethical barometers. >> it shows the gall of the city leaders. >> the free tickets and when tb new stadium opens in two years, he ruled he finds no ethical issues with supervisors accepting the free tickets.

do you have a story we should investigate? we want to hear from you. call our tip line or send us an e-mail to the unit@nbcbayarea.com. that does it for this special edition of "we investigate." see a problem, give us a call. good night.

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